Battery hand lamp



Cct. 23, 1928. 1,688,560

H. W. STAPLES BATTERY HAND LAMP Filed July 26, 1927 Figi.

IIIIIIIH IIIIIHIIIIIIIHIIIII INVENTOR y? W fm H9: ATroRNEYs Patented Oct. 23, 1928.

HENRY W STAPLES; `OIB NEW HAVEN,

PEATING ARES COMPANY, 0F NEW HAVEN,

CONNEOTICU T.

Application med July 26,

This invention relates )to battery hand lamps of the type including a casing for the battery a lamp ulb, a switch mechanism for controliing the electric current through the battery and the bulb, and a bottom end cap for closing the bottom end of the asmg and holding the battery in proper pos1t1 on within the casin The present invention more particularly concerns supporting means carried by the bottom end cap of a' hand lamp of the type described, whereby such lamp may be conveniently supported from a hook, peg or other support.

It has been found desirable and convenient to provide hand lamps of the type described with'suitable means, such as a loop or ring, for use in hanging the lamp vertically fr om a hook or'peg, t e lamp casing extendlng downwardly from such support. A supporting means of this type should be so designed and mounted that it may be folded down and retained out of the way while the lamp is being carried in the hand, while atthe same time being readily accessible for use when it is desired to hang the lamp from a support. The supporting means should be simple and inexpensive and should be readily applicable to hand lamps of the conventional type.

With the above and other considerations in mind, it is proposed in accordance with the present invention to provide a battery hand lamp having an improved form of supporting means mounted on the bottom end cap thereof, and, more specifically, it is "proposed to provide a supporting ring or loop of this type which is so mounted and arranged that it may be folded down outside of the end cap and releasably retained in its retracted position.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a sup orting means of the type described which 1s so located with respect to the hand lamp casing that the lamp may be hung in a vertical position from a hook, peg or other supporting projection on a plane vertical surface.

lt is a still further object of the present invention to provide a lamp supporting means of the type described which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and readily applicable to hand lamps of the conventional type without substantial changes in the design of such lamps.

CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR T0 WINGEESTER CONNECTICUT,' A CORPORATION OF PATENT oFFlcE.

BATTERY HAND LAMP.

1927. serial No. 208,455.

Other objects, advantages and characteristic features of the invention will become apparent as the description thereof progresses. y

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be made to the accompanying drawing, in which;

Figure 1 is a sectional side view of a. portion of the casing of a hand lamp, together with a bottom end cap embodying the supporting means of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a view of the lower end of the bottom end cap of Fig. 1, showing they lamp supportlng means;

Fig. 3 is a sideA view of the end cap and supportingv means of Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. Ll is a side view of a hand lamp end,

cap embodying a modied form of the supn porting means of the present invention;

Fig. 5 is a sectional side view of a second modified form of the lamp supporting means of the present invention;

Fig. 6 is a view of the lower end of the end cap and supporting means shown in Fig. 5; and Fig. 7 is a side view of the form of the inventlon shown in Fig. l, showing the lamp supporting means open and in use. Referrlng first to the modification of the invention shown in Fig. 1, the lamp comprises a cylindrical battery casing 1, which may be formed of sheet metal or other suitable material, carrying a battery 2 composed of one or .more dry cells arranged end to end in series connection in the usual manner. A cyhndrical bottom end cap 3 closes the lower end of the battery casing 1, being secured thereto by a screw threaded engagement therewith as shown. The electrical circuit between the casing 1 and the battery 2 is preferably completed through a spiral coil sprmg 4 which is sprung or otherwise suita ly secured within the end cap 3. The end cap s hown in Fig. 1 is of the type which is provided with an inwardly extending circular ledge 5 which forms a stop to engage the lower edge 6 of the casing 1, and so to limit the position of the cap 3 when it is screwed on to the casing 1. The ledge 5 is usually formed by turning or pressing an inwardly extending circular groove or depression 7 into the outer surface of the cap 3.

Referring now more particularly to the form cf the supporting means of the present invention, this means comprises an arcuate loop 8, preferably formed of heavy spring radius of curvature than the outside radlus of the cylindrical Wall of the end cap 3, and is mounted to lie substantially concentric to this' cylindrical wall when Jfolded down over the end cap as shown in Figs. 1,2 and 3. The aligned openings 11 and 12 are both disposed to one side of a diameter of the end cap, so that the axis about which the loop 8 swings is spaced from the center' of the cap, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 7. This arrangement brings the supporting loop near to one side of the hand lamp when the loop is swung at right angles to the end of the cap 3, thereby permitting the lamp to hang i'lat against a vertical wall or surface 13 when the loop 8 is passed over a fixed support 14 extending from such surface, as shown in Fig. 7. v

The supporting loop 8 of the modilication shown in Fig. 1 is of such a size that it may he sprung into the groove7 formed by the stop ledge 5 of the end cap, and may thereby be held in place when not in use. Vhen the loop 8 is folded downover the end of the cap 3, it engages the cylindrical wall of the cap at the point 15, and upon being forced toward the groove 7, expands enough to snap over the lower edge of this groove and is then releasably retained therein. When it is desiredv to hang the lamp from a support, the rloop is pressed downward, whereupon it expands slightly, passes over the lower edge of the groove 7 and then contracts against the cylindrical wall of the cap 3. The contracting of theresilient loop 8 against the wall of the cap 3 after being pressed out of the groove 7, causes the loop to be sprung or snapped to a. position substantially at right angles to the end of the cap where. it is ready for use. It is evident that by the means described, lthe loop 8 is releasably retained in its closed position by engagement in the groove which forms a stop ledge within the end cap.

In case no stop ledge 5 and corresponding external groove 7 are provided upon the end cap, the loop 8 may be retained in its retracted position by engagement within one of the grooves formed on the end cap by the screw threads employed to secure the end cap to the casing. A cap 16 of this type has been shown in Fig. 4, the loop 8 being hinged to this cap in the manner as that described above in connection with Fig. 1. When folded down over the end cap, the loop 8 of Fig. 4 engages and is snapped over one or more of the ledges or extensions formed by the screw threads 17 on the cap, and is releasably retained between two of these ledges.

In the modification shown in Figs. 5 and 6, an outwardly extending lug 18 is pressed from or otherwise suitably formed on the cylin-l drical wall ofthe end cap 19, andthe supporting loop 8 is snapped over this lug and retained in its retracted position thereby in a manner which is evident from the drawings. The lug 18 may be employed where other extensions or depressions which may be used as loop retaining means are not previously formed on the end cap for other purposes, or where for any reason such extensions or depressions cannot be conveniently employed for this purpose.

The hand lamp supporting means described is very simple and effective and embodies several advantageous features. In the modifications shown in Figs. 1 through 4 and 7, the supporting loop is retained in its retracted position by means which are usually formed on hand lamp end caps for other purposes and for this reason the supporting loop may -be applied to the end cap .by merely Jforming aligned openings therein and without changing the design of the cap. The location of the axis of the hinge connection between the supporting loop and the end cap to one side of the center of the cap enables the hand lamp to be hung from a fixed support against a vertical surface without tilting and extending outwardly .from such surface. Further, the loop is so arranged and disposed that it may be quickly and easily sprung to its open or its retracted positions by the operator.

Although the hand lamp supporting means of the present invention has been described in connection with certain specific embodiments, it should be understood that certain changes in the form and arrangement of the elements may be made without departing from the scope ot the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a hand lamp, the combination of a battery casing, a cylindrical end cap secured to one end of said casing, a substantially arcuate supporting loop having a larger radius ofcurvature than the outside radius I of said end cap hingedly secured to the cylindrical wall of said cap adjacent the end thereof and movable to a position substantiall concentric with the outside cylindrical wal of said cap, and a projection on the cylindrical wall of said cap for engaging said loop and releasably retaining said loop in a positioni substantially concentric with said cylindrical wall.

2. In a hand lamp, the combination of a tubular battery casing, an end cap secured to one end of said casing, a supporting loop hingedly secured to said end cap and movable to a retracted position substantially surrounding said cap, and a single means on said end cap for use in securing said cap to said casing and for releasably retaining Cil Ll U

said supporting loop in its retracted position.

3. In a hand lamp, the combination of a tubular battery casing, a cylindrical end cap secured to one end of said casin a substantially arcuate supporting loop ingedly se. cured to the cylindrical Wall of said end cap and movable to a retracted position substantially concentric with the cylindrical Wall of said, cap and a single means on the cylindrical Wall of said end cap for use in securing said end cap -to said casin and for releasably retaining said supporting loop in its retracted position. y

4. In a ha-nd lamp, the combination of a tubularbattery casing, a. cylindrical end cap screw threadedly secured to one end of said casing, a resilient substantially arcuate supporting loop hingedly secured to said cap and movable to a retracted position substantially concentric With said cap, and means on the cylindrical Wall of said cap for limiting the extent to which the said cap may be screvved on to said casing and for releasably retalning said supporting loop in its retracted position.

5. In a hand lamp, the combinationof a tubular battery casing, a cylindrical end cap secured over one end of said casing, and a resilient supporting loop having -inturned aligned ends journalled in openings-in the cylindrical Wall of said cap and movable to a lretracted position substantially surrounding said cylindrical Wall of said cap, the cylindrical Wall of said cap having a groove therein forming a stop ledge within said cap for limiting the position of said cap on said casing, and the edge of said groove releasably retaining said supporting loop in its retracted position.

.6. In a hand lamp, a vbattery casing, a cylindrical end cap secured to one end of said casing, a substantially arcuate supporting loop hingedly secured to one end of said cap along an axis spacedcfrom the central axls of said cap, said supporting loop having a larger radius'of curvature than the outslde radius of the cylindrical wall of said cap and being movable to a retracted position substantially concentric with the cylindrical Wall of said cap, and means on the cylindrical Wall of said cap for releasably retaining said supporting loop in its retracted psition. i

7. In a hand lamp, a battery casing, a. cylindrical end cap secured to one end of said casing, an arcuate supporting loop hingedly secured to said end cap along an axis extend-v ing transversely of said cap and spaced from the center of said cap and from a plane parallel to said axis and tangent to the cylindrical wall of said cap, said supporting loop being movable `to a retracted position around the cylindrical Wall of said cap, and means for releasably retaining said loop in its retracted position.

8. In a hand lamp, a battery casin end cap removably secured to one end osaid casing, a supporting loop hingedly secured to said end cap and movable to a retracted positionA around the outside of said cap, and means on said cap for simultaneously fixing the position of said cap relative to said casing and releasably retaining said supporting loop in its retracted position.

9. In a hand lamp, the combination of a battery casing having an opening therein, a capv removably secured to said casing over said opening, a. supporting loop hingedly secured to said cap and movable to a retracted position adjacent said cap, and a single means on said cap for use in securingsaid cap to said casing and for releasably retaining said supporting loop in its retracted position.

10. In a hand lamp, a battery casing, an

end cap secured to said casing, a supporting loop hingedly secured to one end of said capy along an axis spaced from the center ofpsaid cap, said supporting loop being larger than the outside dimensions of said cap and being movable to a. retracted position substantially surrounding the outside of said cap, and means on said cap for releasably retaining said supporting loop in its retracted position.

In testimony whereof I aiiixl my signature.

HENRY W. STAPLES. 

